Game apparatus



G. E. SMITH GAME APPARATUS Nov. 26 1940.

Filed Nov. 3, 1937 lElI3 I FIE 2 IN'y'ENTOR.

650F655 5/7/7 46% ATTORNEY:.

Patented Nov. 26, 1940 u NIT so I s TAT as rare 1w OFFlC'E APPARATUS George E. Smith, Oakland; Calif. Application November 3, 1937, SeriaLNo. 1 72 542 2 Claims.

The invention relates to game apparatusof the type having a playing surface or table over'which balls may be rolled or driven by the player'into one or a plurality of ball receiving portions of" taneous part in playing the game competitively one against the other without each Waiting his turn as is necessary in games generally of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide a game of the character described which, when participated in by several persons, affords a lively and fascinating and merry game, in which accuracy and skill and coordination is required of the winning player.

A further object ofthe invention is t'oprovid'e a game of the character described which may be constructed in a relatively small and 'portable size, whereby the same is suitable for use in an average home and which may be stored away in a relatively small closet space and which may supporting the same on any suitable table or the like.

The invention possesses other objects and features of. advantage, some of which, with the foregoing will' be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification.

It is to be understood, however, that variations in the. showing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forthiin'the claims.

Referring to: said drawing:

Figure 1 isa plan view of agame apparatus "constructed in accordance withthe present in- Vention.

Figure 2 is a diagonal sectional view through the apparatus and is substantially on the plane of line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a partition means for dividing the game into sections when fewer than a maximum number of players use the game.

Briefly'stated, the game apparatus of the present invention consists of a plurality of playing surfaces which are arranged in adjacent contiguous relation and are each provided with a plurality of receiving and holding means for balls or the like which are directed over'the' surfaces by' the operator from playing ends of the surfaces; The players take their positions ad jacent the ends of the playing surfaces and in accordance with the present arrangement, each strikes and directs his ball or balls by means 7' of mallets or the like in an effort to deposit the" '5? balls appropriately in the ball receiving means" on his playing surface; Upon misdirection ofany of' his ballswhereby the latter miss the ball re"- ceiving'means on the surface,- theballs will likely roll onto' oneof the other playing surfaces so'lmf as to provide the player on such surface with an increased number of balls-with which to score on his surface. Preferably'also, the several playing: surfaces are inclinedupwardly towards thecommon center whereby the balls will tend to 1 59 gravitate back towards the outer ends of the surfaces from which they were directed; andinstarting the game, means is preferably provided forsimultaneouslyreleasing a plurality of balls on the inner end of each of the surfaces forgot gravitation towards the outer end-i Other constructional features of the apparatus which add' to the novelty and interest of the game aremore fully hereinafter set forth in thedetail description of the apparatus.

With reference morespecifica-ll'y to the accompanying' drawing, the game apparatus" of the present invention consists of a platform ort'a'ble 4 which is provided with a plurality ofpl'aying" surfaces 6, 1, 8 and 9' which, in accordancewith the present embodiment; extend outwardly'from opposite sides of a common playing centerv H and are. provided on their playing surfaces" adjacent'the center and between the latter'andthei outer ends l2, l3, l4 and IS with a plurality'of ball holding or receiving means I'L, I8, l9 and 2| for the receipt of ballsrolled or driven from the outer ends of the. playing surfaces: by the operators. In the present form of the apparatus the. playing surfaces 6, I, 8 and 9 are positioned substantially at right angles to each other and joined along right angular partition lines inter- .secting the center ll of theboard; so as'to position the several surfaces in 90 quadrants with respect to the playing center; It will be understood, however, thatthe surfaces may beotherwise arranged to provide common contiguous. portions over which the balls may pass from one playing surface to another.

Preferably; the playing surfaces are inclined 5 0 upwardly'from their'out'erendsto the center H and are provided with upstanding side walls'ineluding walls 22 and 23 for'the: surface 1'; walls 24 and 26 for thesurface 8, walls 21' and 28 for thesurface" 9; and wa'lls' 2*9and 3T forth'esurface 6. The side walls in each of the playing surfaces preferably diverge from the outer end of the surface so as to define a four-pointed star shaped figure wherein the point of intersection of the side walls 23 and 24, 25 and 2'7, 28 and 29, and 3! and 22 are positioned on substantially the quadrant lines aforesaid and removed inwardly from the outer ends of the playing surfaces. In this manner the outer end of each playing surface is the lowest point of the surface whereby balls will gravitate from all points on the surface towards the outer end.

Also, as will be clear, the diverging walls conwire form surroundinga side of the seat.

fine the angle of approach of the balls towards the outer end of the playing surface and permit a better coverage of this end for striking the balls towards the center by the players.

There is preferably provided at the outer' or playing ends of the surfaces, ball pockets; or holding means 32, 33, 34 and 36 which are guarded by the players to prevent the entry of balls thereto and in accordance with the present game, all balls deposited in these outer end pockets score against the player guarding the same.

As here shown, these ball pockets are formed by cutting elongated'slots through the playing surfaces and mounting thereunder a cross member 31 here in the form of wires, and which serve the dual purpose of holding the balls in the slots and also serve as supports for the platform on a supporting surface such as a card table or the like. As before indicated, the players take their places opposite the outer ends of the playing surfaces and attempt to direct the balls from such ends into the ball receiving means on the playing surfaces adjacent the center, and in accordance;

with the present arrangement, the players are provided with mallets for striking the balls towards the playing center. Preferably, a plu- .1 rality of guards 39, 4|, 42 and 43 are placed across the playing surfaces to limit the stroke of the mallet and-as here shown, these guards are in the form of wires supported on the top surfaces of the diverging side walls of the playingsurfaces, so as to confine the mallet movement to the outer ends of the playing surfaces and to engage and stop the handles 44 of the mallets and the latter are moved to an innermost position. 1

The ball receiving and holding means I1, I8, I9 and 2| on each of the surfaces may be of substantially any desired form and arrangement on the surfaces. .As here shown, the means I! is in the form of an elongated slot cut through the playing surface and isadapted to receive, a plurality of balls which are supported un-- derthe 'slot by plates 45, 41, 48 and 49; The ball receiving. means 18 is here in the form of a curvedwire loop or wicket 5! which is fastened to the playing surface and is provided with an open side for the'receipt of a ball on. the playing surface substantially at the junction ofthe surface and .an adjacent playing surface) The ball holding means I3 is here in the form of a curved wire 52 having an elevated circular ball receiving portion 53 and inclined runway portions 54 leading to the portion 53 from theplaying surface. The ball receiving means 2| here consists of a circular opening or seat 56 provided inthe playing surface and afgu'ard 5! herein In startingthe play, the ballsare preferably positioned in the ball receiving means. llfand are simultaneously released therefrom forgravitation" over. the several playing surfaces towards the outer ends of the surfaces. The simultaneous releasing of the balls from the pockets I1 is here efiected by raising the plates 46, 41, 48 and 49 so as to lift the balls out of the slots in the playing surface and as here shown, the plates are connected by a plurality of arms 58 to a common vertical central pin 59 which is journaled in a hub bearing 6| at the playing center ll of the platform. The pin 59 is preferably provided with a knob 62 at its upper end by which the same may be readily grasped and which also serves to engage the hub bearing 6| to support the arms and plates in proper lowered position below the slots. Preferably, the plates are held in proper rotated position below the slot openings by means of a suitable vertical guide here shown in the form of an inverted U-shaped member 63 which is fastened to the under side of one of the playing surfaces and provides a vertical guide for one of the arms 58.

If desired, the game may be made more difficult and intricate by 'using'balls of different colors or other external markings which will score only if placed in one of the ball receiv-' velocity, the same will. pass over the divide at the junction of the playing surface and onto an adjacent playing surface where the player thereonw'ill have an opportunity to use such ball to score on his surface. Also, since the balls in the outer pockets of the playing surfaces count against the player, it is possible for a player to effectivelyv score by directing a ball down the side .of an adjacent playing surface to elude the player thereon, so that if the shot is successful thelatter player will be penalized for allowing the entry of the ball into the outer pocket of his playing surface. In this connection, the game may be made more lively by providing one or a plurality of balls which do not score at all for the player when deposited in one of the ball receiving means I1, l8, l9 and 2|, but which only count against a player who allows such ball to gravitate into the outer pocket of his playing surface. It will be understood from th'e'foregoing that when the game is played by a plurality of persons, an extremely lively and merry and entertaining game will result wherein each of the players is engaged constantly in the playing of the game and there is no waiting of turns on the part of the several players; but rather they all start together and finish substantially together'when the last ball has been deposited in one of the ball receiving meansabove described. f

While the apparatus here, disclosed is arranged for use by a maximum of four persons, it [will beunderstood that the number of playing surfaces offthe game may be increased orv decreasedwith'out departing from the spirit of the present invention. Also, While a substantially star shaped figuration is illustrated, it will be'clear-thajt the same maybe made rectangular or polygonal or circular or curved, as may be desired. 7 Where fewer than four persons desire to play the game, the apparatus providesfor the'placing" .ofp'artitions about certain of the playing-surfacesso as to prevent the entry of balls thereon and to confine the balls onto the playing surfaces being used by the players. As here shown, such partitions are in the form of detachable cross wires 64 which may be positioned along the junction of adjacent playing surfaces and between the point of intersection of the diverging side Walls and the playing center. Thus, where three persons wish to play the game and take their positions at the outer ends i2, [3 and [6 of the playing surfaces 6, 9 and 1, the partition wires 84 may be positioned as illustrated in dotted lines 86 and 6'! in Figure 1, so as to prevent entry of the balls onto playing surface 8. In this position of the partitions the game may be practiced by one person using only the playing surface 8. On the other hand, if two persons wish to play the game and place themselves at the outer ends l2 and I3 of playing surfaces. 6 and 9, the partitions may be positioned as shown by dotted lines 66 and 68 of Figure 1, so as to shut out playing surfaces 1 and 8. One of the important features of these partition wires is the provision thereof for extending across the ball receiving means I8 without preventing the entry of balls thereto. This is effected by providing the partition Wires with a raised portion extending over the wire loops 5! of the ball receiving means l8 so as to allow the entry of a ball thereunder into such receiving means. Otherwise, the partition means extends suffi ciently low to the plane of the playing surface as to engage and turn back any balls which Counters are preferably provided in connection with each of the playingsurfaces to enable the keeping of score by the players and as here shown, a wire guide 13 is here mounted on one of theside walls of each of the playing surfaces and carries a plurality of slidable beads 14 which may be slid along the wire t keep the players score.

I claim:

1. A game apparatus comprising, a plurality of adjacent inclined playing surfaceshavingcontiguous edges extending to a common center, ball receiving means on one of said surfaces at the junction of said other surface, and extending forwardly thereon whereby the ball may enter from one surface and .cross the junction of said surfaces and be held in said ball receiving means by the inclination of the other playing surface and partition means adapted for positioning along the junction of said surfaces and being formed to clear said ball receiving means.

2. In a game apparatus having, a plurality of adjacent inclined playing surfaces having a joined contiguous edge portion and adapted for receipt of balls to be directed over said surfaces, a ball receiving means on one of said surfaces at said contiguous edge and extending GEORGE E. SMITH. 

